Automobile signal



Aug. 20, 1935. H. o. RODDE 7 I AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed July 50, 1951, 2 Sheets-Sheet l 07 LIGHT OPEEQTED SWITCH.

Aug. 20, 1935. H. o, RODDE 2,011,983

- AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed July 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L I A U gwuentoo. #060 0. H0005 25 the drawings Patented Aug. 20, 1935' some; Y

AUTOMOBILE S A Hugo Otto RoddeyMaywoomIll.

1 pplication July so, 1931", Serial N 554,123

2Claims. (01. 177- 327) I This invention, relates to a combination stop light, taillight, and turn indicator, and has for its object theproduc ion of a simple and efiicient signal which is compact in formand contains a -5 stoplight, a taillight, and a turn indicator; all

of which signals are mounted and designed as to give a clear. and comprehensive indication to. a

following :vehicle, of the intended movements :of hall bearings 8..

the car upon which the signal may be mounted.

i0 Another object of this invention is the production vof a simple andefficient indicating signal,

.Which may he supported in any suitable or desired manner upon a vehicle for the purpose of indicating to'a following vehicle the intention of the driver of the car upon which the signal may be :mounted; 1

A still further object of this invention is the "production of a simple and efiicient means mounted vWithin the casing of the signal for actu 9 iaiting the'moving-indicating hand.

combinations and arrangement of parts,'as will be-hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Figure '1 is a frontelevation 0f ithezsig-nal casing, showing the indicator hand positioned there- 1 f jFigure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig- ;on line 3+3 of Figure 2. V a Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 ofFigas 2'- g t Figure '5 isa section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Y 4' Figure 6 is a section taken online 6- 6 of Figne y t 40 ,By referring to the drawings it will be seenthat designates the casing which is prei'erably cir- 0111a! in iformatiomybut which may be made in any 1 suitable convenient I design: without departcingfrom the spirit of the invention. The casing. I has the front end thereof closed by means of a suitable glass lens 2, through V which the movingindicating portion of the signal is sing "I This bracket 3 carries a bearing ring Figure '3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken Innderstood asghaving its usual technical .mean- 4 7 ing of an indicating pointer 'without regargl o ispeciiic shape although here shown of ai fmal 26, which has is preferably-pressed the t bracket ...3 andweldcd or th wisetsecn egi theretn to fixedly connect the hea in r n I) npen the bracket. The bracketa? a so carrie a halts whi h s es h ough a bearin nns 1 which ,5 bearing rin 7 i pressed into the e menta gear 2.8 hereafter described:

Within the bearin ring .6 are carried suitable A Signal ne aft 10 is ia rnalcd 1p h mg ring .6 and contacts with peeing .8 as shown in Figure .2. Th f m mg 9f in? signal operating shaft I0 is iourna en in Q bearing 4 l, which bearing 1:! is nmrted by the nont bracket l2 mounted within theica ine thi s manner to the connectingplate :5", @Upon :;the

ishaft iii is mounted a sleeve L4, which $166!? .31 39 Uextendsthroug'hthe bearing-s H and i to tate 'the rotation .of. the sleeve tuponithe supportingshaf-t it; Suitable'nuts 15 are carried by th respective end of the shaft iflvior the purnose ,Q holding the shaft against longitudinal movement I j through the bracketst and -12. flheconnectnig plate 5' maybe secured to. the inner face pf the bottom of the casing ..-l[by mea/I1S of screws or {tether securingmeans. V i Due 1 to the fact :thatvth brackets 3 and I2 aricarried-by the connecting plate 5", the entire mechanism isa unit andmmny be completely assembled-before being set inthe casing 1. Thisstructure will also permit-theatemoval of the f mechanism fonthe purpose.oig; re-

;; .Anindicatihg hand 1.5 is cnnnect dto heishai in by means vor asnbstan ie y nhamd b c l1which secured to-t erea iace cf he in. aeting hand i 6,.theiomardensi 0i thedsha t Jon ing through thehrack h 1, 1845 ,c h ly 1 1 51 in Figure '2 and. h inss cured theret i .hy meansLoi the nut l5carriedby he endofthe haft liead-jacent the indicatin hand 15,-.- abl 1 I to the indicating hand .I 6;-

The indicating hand, It i p efemblybohgatfi- 1 convex in .cross section, as sh wn in :thenrawin s, tocdnstitute a reflector fnrsthe light-bulbs par ied thereby; The;term"handas hereinnsedvis ope shape as are frequently the hands rm elcclcsan waltches. .Acentralilighting 'blll 1 19 1180311 1 5 lby the. indicating hand, is intermediaietthaencs q thereof and lighting bulbs 20 and 2l are carried by the respective ends of the hand as illustrated clearly in Figure 2. The purpose of these lights 23 and 2| being to clearly indicate and permit the hand to be viewed by an approaching vehicle. The outer lens 2 is preferably provided with a centrally located colored portion l9, preferably colored red, this red portion I9 being located in front of the tail light IS. The remaining face of thelens 2 is clear-to permit the hand l6 to be easily seen ,therethrough. The bulbs I9, 20, and 2| are preferably all of the same color for the convenience of replacement.

In order to permit the bulbs to remain lighted throughout the movement of the hand and irrespective of the position of the hand, there is provided a specially constructed contact means in the nature of an insulated segment 22, which is supported upon the bracket l2 and which carries a pair of spaced contact metallic segme'ntal-;strips23:l and 23, which are connected, aswill be" described in the following, to a suit: ables' source o'f-electr ical supply. "The hand It carries an insulated block 24 upon the rear face thereofand-thisblock 24 carries a pair of spring 'pressedcontact plugs indicated by the numerals 25 and 25 for contacting with the metallic-contacting segmental'plates or strips 23 and'23.

In order to control the operationof the indicatingjhand i6, there is 'prov'idedlan electrical mechanism consisting of a plurality of magnets, onefmagnetbeing indicated by the numeral 26 -and the other magnet being indicated by the num'eral 21, both magnets being suitably supported upon the bracket 3. The magnets 21 are preferably arranged in alignment, having their at- {tractingpoles arranged in opposite relation and spaced from each other as clearly shown in Fig- A'segmental rack 28 is pivotally hung the "bOlt' S-"upoh the upper .end'of frame 3.;and ,is 7

' sleeve and thereby. swinging the arrow or indicating-hand i6 inxthegdirection of the arrows indicated-tin Figure 1, depending upon which of .the magnets 26 and 21 is energized. As thesegr'r'ient'al 'rack I3 is pivotally mounted at its upper V --en'd it normally hangs in a vertical position. be-

' twee'nthe magnets with the'indicating hand disposed vertically as shown in Figurel, and the indicating hand or pointer will be returned to this position when a magnet is de-en'ergized..

' A'ny suitable or convenient method of wiring the" electric connections may-be employed, withbutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and it is not desired to limit this particular invention to'flahyparticular' form of electrical wiring.

'For the-purpose of illustration it will be seen that a battery 33 grounded at 34 is'employed, and

*awi'r e35 passes'up to a lamp switch 36,:preferably mounted upon the dashboard of a vehicle,

1 which switch 36 is provided witha'tail light contact 3T I construction without departing from the spirit "of the'invention. A wire 39 passes from the switch 36, down througha suitable connectorf4fl, from This may be of any suitable 'or desired which extends a wire 4|, to the inner contact of-a wire 44. A left contact 45 is mounted upon .the switch 42 and to this left contact 44 is connected a wire 46, which passes through the box and connects with a wire 41, passing to the left magnet Zt, which magnet is-also grounded upon the casing. As the magnet 26 is energized through the closing of the circuit through the medium of the switch arm 43 and the contact 45, the armature 32 will be attracted toward the magnet 26, thereby swinging the segmental plate or gear 28 -and rotating the gear 3| in a counter clockwise direction, thereby swinging the indicating band 6 to a point to the left, during which time the light bulbs ZGrand 2| will be illuminated or lighted and by moving with the hand from a vertical position to a diagonal positiompermita river of an approaching vehicle toreadily determine the fact that the driver ot the vehicle upon whichthe signal is mounted intends to turn .to the left. The current will pass down through the wire 48 from :the contact 45, through wire,

through thebox 4|! and throughthe wire 50, to

the contact plate 23, to the spring pressed contact plug 25 andthrough the wire 5|, to the bulbs 20 and 2|." r. 1

, As the switch 43 is swung to the right contact with the contactEZ, the current will pass down through the wire 53, through the wire .49, through the wire 50, through the plate 23', the plug 25,.the

.wire 5|, and to,the'lights 2|! and,2,| asthehand .isxswungto the right; -'This will alsolcausethe current to pass down through thewire54, through the box 40, through the wire'55, EIldHDQtOQthG I magnet 21, which'isgrounded upon the casing and thereby energizes the magnet 21, this way pulling the armature 52 toward the magnet 21 and rotating-the gear 3| in a clockwise direction, swinging the arrow l6 and lights 20 and 2| in a direction I ;to indicate that a right-hand turn is to be'made'.

The brake pedal actuates-a switch 56' which is connected to the wire 35by means of a wire51 and this switch 56 is connected to the wire 49' by means of a wire 58. As, the brake pedal switchis actuated, the current will pass from the battery 33 through wire 51, throughthe switch 56, through V the wire 58, through the wire 49, through thewire 50, through the contact plate 23, through the plug 25 and to thewire 5|, therebg illuminating-the bulbs 20 and 2l, the hand; remaining stationary in a vertical position and theli'ghts serving merely as a warning that the vehicle willslo'w down or come to astop without turning'to the right. or

left. The hand'onlyswings when the'switch arm 43is drawn into contact with either the contact From the foregoing description :it'will be seen that a very simple andefiicient meanshasbeen produced for indicating the direction; of travel of a vehicle, carrying the signal, and it also will be seen that a very simple.- and efficient mecha- ."nism has been producedwhich may very readily and accurately operate the signal to indicate the proper turn which the driver of the machineupon hi which the signal is mounted is about to make.

It will be further understood that a very simple and efficient mechanism hasbeen produced which may be placed within a single casing, thereby permitting the parts to be easily reached in the event of repairs or replacement. Furthermore, it should be understood that certain detail changes may be made without departing from the, spirit of the invention, so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended c1aims:-

By considering Figure 2 it will be seen that a pilot light 59 is employed which is in circuit with the contacts 45 and 52 of the switch 42 through the medium of the wires 50 and 6 l, the pilot light 59 being grounded in the usual way by means of a suitable ground wire 62. i

, Having described theinvention, what I claim as new is: 1

1. In a signal for vehicles, a casing open at one end, a transparent closure for the open end of said casing, an elongated arrow-shaped indicator having a pivot shaft intermediate its ends rotatably mounted within said casing, an electric lamp at the pivot of said indicator, electric lamps at ends of said indicator, said lamps being in alignment, means for moving said indicator out of vertical position to indicate right and left-hand turns including a set of electromagnets, an armature between said magnets, and a circuit including contact strips, contactsoarried by said indicator and engaging the contact strips, one contact being connected with the center lamp and the, other contact beingconnected with the end lamps, a switch connected withone strip for causing the center lamp to be continuously lighted when the switch is closed and serve as a taillight, a double throw" switch controlling fiow of currentito the magnet and second strip for causing both end lamps to be lighted when either magnet is enerthe circuit for controlling flow of current only to the end lamps and causing theend lamps to be lighted with the indicator remaining in a vertical position and togetherwith the center lamp serve as astop signal when the switch is closed by operating the brake pedal to stop a vehicle.

2. 'In a signal for vehicles, a casing open'at one end, a transparent closure for the open end of said casing, an elongatedarrow-shaped indicator having a pivot shaft intermediate its ends rotatably mounted within said casing, an electric lamp at the pivot of said indicator, electric lamps at ends of said indicator, said lamps being placed in. alignment, means formoving said indicators out of vertical position to indicate right and left-hand turns including a set of electromagnets, an armature between 'said' magnets, and a circuit having the magnets and lamps incorporated therein and including a switch controlling flow ofcurrent to i the center lamp independent of the end lamps, a second switch for simultaneouslycontrolling flow of current to the end lamps and a selected one. of the magnets to move the indicator in a predetermined direction when the end lamps are lighted, and a brake pedal actuated switch cut'into the circuit for controlling flow of current to the end lamps only and causing the end lamps to be lighted with the indicator remaining in the vertical position when brake'pedal is applied.

I v "HUGO OTTO RODDE. 

